Vaccine mandates should be the last resort
Up for speculation
I am confounded by the comments of study researchers in “Smoke may give virus a boost” (Front Page, Aug. 14): As staff writer Kurtis Alexander points out: “a correlation between wildfire smoke and COVID-19 doesn’t prove causation.” The summary data presented for California counties puts an exclamation point on that fundamental principle of epidemiology. When you create new hypotheses after you have all the data in, that’s known as a post hoc analysis.
You are simply speculating on what the data might reveal. The smoke may be the direct cause, but anyone can imagine alternative theories to explain this data. For example: In rural sparsely populated counties like Sutter and Butte, more people work outdoors. Heavy smoke drives them indoors. Rural counties having larger populations of former President Donald Trump-deluded people will have fewer mask wearers. Driving them into dense indoor settings unmasked on heavy smoke days will thus increase cases. I too am speculating, but the study authors also ignore significant data inconsistencies in different Bay Area counties (like San Francisco, Alameda and Marin versus Contra Costa and
San Mateo). The correlation between smoke-related cases and deaths looks inconsistent in that frame.
Marc Sapir, Berkeley
Unnecessary war
As we watch the Taliban retake control of Afghanistan, let us recall two decades ago, how we marched up Market Street to protest yet another unnecessary war.
The Millennial generation blames our so-called Baby Boomer generation for wasting the resources that should have been handed down. Yet all along we have done our best to avoid this.
The “Greatest Generation” that came before us could perhaps be forgiven for being taken in by the propaganda that enabled the invasion of Southeast Asia. After all, it was the “righteous” World War II that propelled the United States from the Great Depression to the prosperity of the 1950s.
Our generation knew from our Vietnam War experience that the U.S. is not invincible. Now we have left Afghanistan, where we should never have gone in the first place. The tragedy — of the lives lost, the maiming, the displacement and the hopelessness — is compounded by our frustration. Ultimately, common sense and public opinion were no match for the arms merchants and their profiteering.
If we had not invaded, Afghan youth would be enjoying WeChat and TikTok instead of taking up the arms our tax dollars paid for, and our troops left behind.
Amelia Marshall, Oakland
Relocate to the park
I have a suggestion for families, bicyclists, skateboarders and dog walkers who are up in arms over the re-opening of the Great Highway to vehicular traffic. Key in “Golden Gate Park” to your GPS navigator. It’s 1,017 acres of beautiful open space and just off the northern edge of the Great Highway. You can’t miss it.
Kenneth Jones, San Francisco